“Zita the Spacegirl: A Cosmic Ode to Vulnerability and Visual Storytelling

Ben Hatke’s Zita the Spacegirl (First Second, 2011) is often celebrated as a rollicking space adventure for middle-grade readers, but beneath its vibrant surface lies a nuanced exploration of imperfection, quiet courage, and the art of visual narrative. While most analyses focus on Zita’s heroism or the book’s whimsical world-building, few delve into Hatke’s deliberate subversion of […]